Endless
by Sassy Terrier
Summary: Cedric Diggory’s longtime neighbor and friend, Rosalie Baxter, is his female equivalent. Smart, beautiful, spunky and also a Hufflepuff prefect, she will accept just about anyone for a date… except Cedric... Review please! :-
1. Chapter 1

**To those of you that are, like me, crazy about **_**Twilight **_**in addition to **_**Harry Potter, **_**Rosalie is just a name, ****not**** Rosalie Hale. I just fell in love with the name Rose and, well, I'm big on nicknames and I think Rosalie is a pretty sassy name. **

**The usual disclaimer applies: I don't own Cedric Diggory or any other Harry Potter related elements, just Rosalie! **

**_Chapter 1_  
**

She walked with her nose in her Transfiguration book, studying furiously to master the latest spell. McGonagall wasn't going easy on anyone: they were fifth years now and should know what they were doing. And besides, she was a prefect. She was supposed to be ahead of the rest of her class.

"Saturday is a Hogsmeade trip." A low voice said in her ear. Rosalie looked up from her book and allowed her companion to pull her out of the way of two oncoming Slytherin seventh years. She glanced at Cedric and rolled her eyes.

"I know what Saturday is."

"Could we go together?" He asked politely. He was in no way, being rude or arrogant or pretentious. Rosalie just liked to think of him that way. They'd known each other since birth and it was impossible to believe he had an actual interest in her. He'd seen her through the awkward years, and the first boyfriend stage, and the first breakup stage. He'd born witness to everything, as she had with him. They'd also watched each other go through many dates to Hogsmeade and hold hands with different people in the halls and in the common room.

And of course, he was her first kiss. Standing in the meadow between her house and his, they'd met in the middle—as they had so often during the summer months and at dusk at the tender age of twelve, he'd leaned forward and kissed her on the lips saying, "it's gotta happen sometime, why not with you?"

Their parents, also, had their sights set on marrying the two of them off. Rosalie was positive her mother had wedding plans already in the works with Mrs. Diggory.

She was beautiful, of course, but so were the girls throwing themselves at Cedric. Her brown hair and bright blue eyes were not in any way spectacular. She wasn't petite, but Cedric's frame made her five feet and eight inches seem insignificant. She was thin and fair and had a shining, genuine smile.

Rosalie flashed that same smile at Cedric, "Cedric, you're my best friend in this place."

He shrugged and stopped when she did, in front of the Transfiguration classroom. As Hufflepuff fifth-years they'd be in class together but this was no conversation for the classroom. "Why am I the only wizard on earth that can't get you to agree to a date? I _am_ your best friend, after all."

She sighed, resting her arm on his hand, "because Ced, I can't afford to lose you."

Cedric rolled his eyes and walked ahead of her into class. He sat down next to her—in their regular seats—and wrote at the top of his parchment: _I'll get a yes someday. _She looked up at him after she'd finished reading it and he winked at her, turning his attention to the lecture.

"Morning, Rosie." Cedric dropped into the empty space beside her at breakfast and put his arm around her waist, kissing her on the cheek.

"Hi, Ced." She smiled at him over her plate and continued eating.

"Can I ask you for a favor?"

"Anything, Cedric. What do you need?"

"Would you take a walk with me after breakfast?"

Rosalie looked at him wearily and then sighed at the expression on his face, "yes" she told him quietly. He grinned at her in thanks and shoveled down two pieces of toast and a large helping of eggs. Gulping down a drink and grabbing a piece of bacon to go, he pulled her hand.

"Alright, I'm coming!" She laughed at his exuberance. "I need a jacket though. Can we stop back in the dorm?"

Cedric groaned but pulled her down the stairs to the entrance. He shoved her lightly through the portrait hole and she shot him a look over her shoulder. She was up the stairs, into her dormitory and returned to his side before he could gripe any more. "I'm all yours."

He took the jacket from her hands and held it out to her, helping her into it and playfully wrapping her scarf over her eyes. She tugged it away but couldn't help grinning at him. "Shall we?" He held out his hand and she hesitated before placing hers in it and following him through the castle and onto the blustery grounds.

They made their way in silence over to their favorite spot. They often found themselves in this spot to study, or to come and think. If one of them hadn't been seen in a while, the other knew they'd be sitting here. It was a little cove near the shore of the lake, covered with big, black, shiny boulders, and edging up to a clump of trees. It was relatively private if that's what you needed, but if anyone wandered the grounds, you could still be seen.

When they reached their spot, Rosalie raced ahead, bounding up onto the rocks and making her way to the highest one, perching on it and looking back to Cedric.

He stood on the farthest rock, watching her. His eyes were carefully guarded. Slowly, he made his way towards her and stopped when he reached her, looking at her without a word.

"Cedric, you're scaring me."

He smiled perfectly and held his hand out to her. She looked at him curiously, her eyes wavering between his hand and his eyes. Finally she took it and let him pull her to her feet. Her rock was higher than his and, with her standing, she was looking down at him. Both of his hands were at her waist before she could think and he pulled her down onto his rock.

"I don't mean to scare you." He spoke quietly, still holding her, "but I don't know how else to prove my devotion to you."

"Devotion? Oh, Cedric," she started hesitantly, putting her hands over his in an act to push him off.

"No please, just listen."

She nodded and he continued, "You are my very best friend. And you are more important to me than the world." He looked at her earnestly. "I want you to see how much you mean to me. I want to know what I can do to prove it to you."

"Cedric," Rosalie shook her head, "it's not that I don't believe you. I'm just—I'm just too scared to lose you."

"You keep saying that!" Exasperated, he pulled one hand off of her waist and ran it through his hair.

"Listen, if I say yes to you, and I let you sweep me off my feet like I know you will, what happens when things don't work out? Or what happens if there's some accident. Or for _whatever _reason, we can't be together. I'll be devastated."

Cupping her face in his hands, he carefully watched her. "That will never happen. I'm not going anywhere. I'm yours forever if you say that's what you want."

Rosalie sighed, "Never say 'never.' You can't promise, Ced! I wish you could and I wish that would be enough but you can't."

Cedric recoiled slightly, taking a step back. He dropped both of his hands and turned away from her, looking out over the lake. "Rosie," he mused quietly.

"I'm sorry, Cedric."

Suddenly he was smiling. "No, it's okay. You didn't say no this time."

Rosalie looked at him, abashed, "you're not giving up?"

"Never say 'never', right?" He winked at her. "Let me take you back inside, I know you must be freezing."


	2. Chapter 2

"I just got a letter from Mum." Cedric said one December morning at breakfast. "Looks like we're going to your place for Christmas."

"And we're going to yours for New Years." Rosalie answered without looking up, reading a letter from her Mum. "Another year with the Diggory's." She feigned disappointment and watched him coyly out of the corner of her eye.

"You love us!" He laughed heartily, shoving her shoulder.

"Oh yes I do!" She threw both arms around him and kissed his cheek. They grinned at each other and turned towards their breakfast, chatting openly with the people around them.

"Good morning, Cedric." Cedric and Rosalie both looked up to see Cho Chang smiling at him.

"Erm, hey Cho. How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you. I'm hoping I'll see you at the Hogsmeade trip before holiday?"

He nodded, "I'll be there."

"Brilliant, maybe we can meet up."

"Sure." Cedric hesitated in his answer but smiled at her when she walked away. Rosalie was grinning at his side.

"Ohhh Cedric." She cooed, "someone's got a crush on you!"

"Shush, Rose. She'll hear you."

Rosalie giggled lightheartedly and finished her plate. She encouraged Cedric's suitors, although they never seemed to stick with him.

At Hogsmeade that weekend, Rosalie darted away from Cedric when she saw Cho approaching and Cedric gave her hell for it the rest of the night. He'd begrudgingly said he'd enjoyed her company but was furious that Rosalie had ditched him.

"I was trying to help your game!" She laughed at the look on his face. They were standing at the entrance to the girl's dormitory, saying goodnight.

"If you want to help me with my game, then tell me what I can do to get you." He winked, reaching out and tucking an errant piece of hair behind her ear.

"Ced, not that again. You know what I've said."

"Someday…" he smiled. She shook her head and leaned up to kiss his cheek before going up to bed.

Christmas Eve was spent in the Baxter's house. Rosalie sat with Mrs. Diggory and her mother at the kitchen table after dinner, while Cedric had gone into the sitting room with the men.

"Rose, have you got a boyfriend this year?" Mrs. Diggory asked over her tea.

Rosalie laughed, "nope, I'm free as a bird."

"You're such a pretty girl," she added, "that's so surprising."

"No one quite right for me, I guess."

"What about Cedric," her mother asked, exchanging a look with Mrs. Diggory.

"Oh for heaven sake! Did he put you up to this?" Rosalie laughed, "Ced's my best friend. He knows too much."

The mother's smiled at each other and then looked back at the girl in front of them. Taking a sip of her own tea, Rosalie felt two hands on her shoulder.

"Evening, ladies," Cedric smiled at all of them, "do you mind if I borrow Miss Rosie."

"Not at all!"

"By all means!" Both mothers answered at once.

Rosalie sighed, took another sip of her tea and rose from the table, "excuse us."

"Grab your jacket." Cedric directed, pulling his off the coat rack in the front hall. Rosalie obliged and met him at the front door. "A late night walk?"

Rosalie walked out the door first, pulling gloves on her hands and then yanking her scarf tighter around her neck. Cedric put his hand on the small of her back and lead her back towards meadow they frequented as children. They had measured the exact middle with a line of sticks and rocks in the ground and some of them were still visible, though it had been years since they'd played out here. At that point, however, they came upon two blankets: one spread out for the two of them to sit on, and the other folded neatly—evidently for Rosalie and her constant chills. She looked up at him with a wondering smile and watched him sit on the first blanket, pulling the second over his legs. He held up one edge, "are you joining me?"

She shrugged under the blanket next to him and let him pull her into his body. "You are quite the romantic," she whispered to him. Though there was no reason to be so quiet, it seemed wrong to ruin the perfect serenity. She stared up at the stars and felt his eyes on her.

"Yes?" She said after a long moment passed without him looking away. She turned her head and looked at him with a small smile.

"_You _are gorgeous." She blushed and he kissed her forehead, closing his eyes and savoring the moment.

"We had our first kiss out here." Rosalie remembered, staring at the stars again, "I had no idea if I was supposed to kiss you back or slap you."

"So you picked both?" Cedric laughed, nudging her.

She shrugged, "I was twelve. It was a knee-jerk reaction."

He muttered under his breath, something unintelligible and a gust of wind picked up. Without hesitation, he pulled his arm tighter around her and she moved into his side obediently.

"Are you ever giving up?" Rosalie asked quietly, afraid to look at him.

"Nope," his answer was immediate, "you're the only thing I want."

She sighed beside him and then sat up. She looked at him carefully and then speech poured out of her. "You only get once chance with me, and you know that. You've been by my side through all my misjudgments and mistakes and even my good choices that ended poorly. But you, more than anyone else in my life, know that I don't forgive and forget very well. If I give you a chance, and you break my heart, I don't know what I'll do. I'm completely terrified that you'll leave me broken and I can't deal with that. I can deal with being broken up with, I can deal with getting hurt, but I can't deal with _you _being the one to do all of that." She stared him straight in the eye as she spoke every word. Then she took a deep breath and asked, "Do you promise me, Cedric Diggory, that you will not break me?"

Cedric sat up and leaned forward to kiss her but she pulled away, "Cedric, I need to hear you say it. I know the answer but I need to hear it."

He dropped his hand from her face and stared her in the eye. "I promise, my Rosie, I won't do anything to mess this up."

The chimes of the clock in town struck midnight and Rosalie smiled at the irony, "Well then Happy Christmas, Ced. I'm yours."

He pulled her face into his hands and pressed his lips against hers forcefully. This wasn't like the playful first kiss they'd shared as tweens. Passion flooded from both of them and Cedric carefully put one arm around Rosalie's waist and the other at her throat. He pulled her down on top of him and her hand crept to his the collar of his jacket, grasping the lapel. Her other hand was at the back of his neck and she pulled his weight with her, lying underneath him, one of her legs still hitched up over his.

Finally, Cedric pulled away from her, breathing raggedly and stared at her, a smile creeping onto his face. "Best Christmas ever. Bar none."

Rosalie rolled her eyes, "you haven't even seen what I actually got you"

He looked at her pointedly and she sighed, "Fine, you're right, this is probably better."


End file.
